SIVAGANGA: The proposed 775-acre Ilupakudi Industrial Park, the second industrial park in the district aiming to create employment opportunities in the locality, is expected to come up by early 2026, said sources from the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT).
At present, four industrial parks — Nilakottai in Dindigul, Manamadurai in Sivaganga, Thoothukudi in Thoothukudi and Gangaikondan in Tirunelveli — are functioning in south Tamil Nadu. For the next phase, the state government had mulled setting up new parks in 21 places including Ilupakudi in Madurai, Manakudi and Sakkarakottai in Ramanathapuram, E Velayuthapuram in Thoothukudi, E Kumaralingapuram in Virudhunagar and Gangaikondan in Tirunelveli, SIPCOT officials said.
"For the Ilupakudi Industrial Park, of the total 775 acres, around 100 acres will come under Arasanur village and the remaining will be part of Idaiyapatti near Kilathari. The district collector has allocated land for the industrial site and the file has been forwarded to the commissioner of land administration for further proceedings. The works will begin soon after the approval, and are expected to finish by early 2026. Other works such as laying of the road connecting to the industrial site from the main road, securing water connection etc., will also commence shortly, said a SIPCOT official.
The first industrial park of the district, Manamadurai Industrial Park had over 85 allotments, and small scale industries were already functioning in 50 sites. In the newly proposed park, employment opportunities for job seekers will differ depending upon the nature of the companies. If there are big-scale companies, it will result in more job opportunities, added the official.
Further, Manamadurai Industrial Park and the proposed Ilupakudi Park can be connected via road to Madurai airport, Madurai railway junction and Thoothukudi port, which are just hours away from the site, sources said.
Speaking to TNIE, M Arjunan, leader of Cauvery, Vaigai, Kiruthumal, Gundar Irrigation Farmers' Federation, welcomed the decision to set up a second industrial park in the district, but pointed out that the first industrial park was itself a failure. Though the Manamadurai Industrial Park and Hosur Industrial Park were started around the same time in the 1980s, only the latter attained growth. Taking lessons from the Hosur park, the state and district administration must bring in large companies to invest in the second proposed park for the growth of the locality, he said.